Launch of the book In our own right: black Australian nurses’ stories

The following summary has been adapted from media releases and information provided by CATSIN, and eContent Management)

The book In our own right: black Australian nurses’ stories was launched in Canberra by Steve Larkin, Principal of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), on 28 September 2005. Invited guests included Dr Fiona Wood (Australian of the Year), Warren Mundine (President of the Australian Labor Party) and government, health, education and nursing sector representatives.

Published by eContent Management, the book is a collection of 23 personal stories from Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander nurses and carers, spanning over 50 years. While launching the book, Steve Larkin recognised the courage and strength of the contributors who have chosen to share their personal stories. These women and men describe how they dealt with a range of issues such as family separation, racial discrimination and prejudice in order to successfully establish their careers. The stories explain their circumstances and their spirit in pursuing their aims with strength and endurance.

The book was edited by Sally Goold, OAM, Executive Director of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN), and Kerrynne Liddle, a professional journalist and partner in Precise Media Management. Sally Goold said, ‘This book is a celebration of Indigenous Australian nurses and the difficulties they have overcome. It is not about directing blame or guilt, but rather a commemoration of their achievements and an inspiration for all Indigenous peoples.’

Indigenous nurses currently account for only 0.05 percent of Australian registered nurses. Publisher, James Davidson, explained that ‘If this book results in improved recruitment and retention of Indigenous nurses in education and community health care then we shall feel that it has achieved its aim – that of contributing to cultural understanding and improved Indigenous health outcomes.’ The book is intended to honour the trailblazers, inspire the women and men who follow in their footsteps, and improve recruitment and retention of Indigenous nurses.

For further information contact:
Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN), 14 Cassia Ave, Banksia Beach, Qld 4507, ph: 07 3410 7236, fax: 07 3410 7235, email: catsin@bigpond.net.au, Web: http://www.indiginet.com.au/catsin.

In our own right: black Australian nurses’ stories is available for purchase from http://www.e-contentmanagement.com/ ph: 07 5435 2900. RRP is $33.00 incl GST (discount for students). Author profiles are available on http://inourownright.e-contentmanagement.com.

Other information

ABC
HEALTH: “In our own right: Black Australian Nurses’ Stories”
View media release (HTML) (released 19 September 2005)

Reference

Goold SS, Liddle K, eds. (2005) In our own right: black Australian nurses’ stories. Sydney: Content Management

The above images have been published in the book and distributed for promotional purposes. They are reproduced here with permission